IN PANEVĖŽYS, LITHUANIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER HOLDS A PUBLIC DEBATE
Continuing the series of meetings, dedicated to the 60th anniversaries of the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania and founding of NATO, as well as the 5th anniversary of Lithuania’s membership in the European Union and NATO, on 18 March Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas delivered a lecture “Lithuania in Europe: challenges and possibilities“ at the Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė library of Panevėžys county. The Minister described Lithuania‘s achievements, challenges and possibilities in the EU to the pupils, college students and the residents of Panevėžys city.
Minister V.Ušackas noted that it would be more difficult for Lithuania to tackle all the hardships if we had to look for solutions alone and not together with the whole of EU. Head of Lithuania‘s diplomacy reminded that Lithuania had recently signed an agreement with the European Investment Bank concerning a credit which would allow to proceed with the recovery of business.
According to the Minister, five years of membership in the EU demonstrated that Lithuania‘s interests could as well be the interests of the EU.
“It is also up to us to determine the kind of the EU that we want. Our goal is to work hand in hand at the national level, outline our interests and to actively look for ways of implementing them”, Minister said.
Head of Lithuania‘s diplomacy stressed that wider public discussions, a more efficient civic dialogue and stronger political consciousness were needed in order to successfully implement the goals and ambitions of Lithuania‘s foreign policy.
“It is important to draw Lithuania’s foreign policy closer to the citizens, thus avoiding the situation of the citizens feeling alienated from the foreign policy of the state”, Minister V.Ušackas said.
Foreign Minister also assured that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs aimed to include all the interested representatives from the civic society into the dialogue and paid special attention to the opinion of youth who had the task of creating the future of Lithuania and taking the responsibility for it.
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